Greenville custodian to get dream home with $400,000 lottery prize

January 19, 2018 Posted by NC Lottery at 2:32 PM

Cecil Goddard Jr. of Greenville said he plans to get his dream home after he won $400,000.

“My girlfriend and I want to get a house and a piece of land,” Goddard said. “It’s such a blessing to be able to finally do this.”

The custodian’s good fortune happened when he stopped by Sam’s Jiffy Mart on Memorial Drive in Greenville and got a $5 Big Win scratch-off ticket.

“At first I was scared,” Goddard said. “My heart was pumping so fast! I kept thinking, ‘This can’t be right, something must be wrong.’”

Goddard claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $278,005.

Big Win launched earlier this month with four top prizes of $400,000. Two top prizes remain.

Ticket sales from instant games like Big Win make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $600 million a year for education.

Congratulations!

16 COMMENTS

1/23/2018 11:35 - crystal c.

I'm totally agree with John F, Richard M, Jason I it's hard to win. Whether it be purchasing an entir new pack of $20 or $30 scratch offs or entering into the second chance drawings!!! How does the lottery headquarters determine a winner? And who is drawing the names? Even with the monthly drawings you enter with your points....you still don't win anything!! I'm starting to feel as though this is rigged!!! Congratulations to Mr. Goddard. NC Lottery
Crystal- When it comes to scratch-off tickets, they are distributed at random across the state. When it comes to second-chance drawings those are done electronically in the presence of an auditor.

1/22/2018 12:36 - Barbara W.

I hope your new home brings you much joy love and laughter. Congrats on your win!

1/22/2018 10:23 - William D.

Sure miss the Map. Shows how the winners are all over the state.

1/22/2018 01:18 - Lois B.

Congratulations,to the both of you on your winning, you have my blessing.

1/21/2018 06:53 - Jason I.

I had over 500 entries in all 3 ultimate millians drawings and didn't even win 500$ive entered about 300 drawings and never won a dime

1/21/2018 06:50 - Jason I.

I've entered 65,000$ of 30$ tickets in second chance drawings and never won a dime

1/21/2018 03:04 - greg s.

when is keno going to be offered at more locations? I do not have time to sit in a business and play, I like to get my 20 draws to go and check them later at home! If there was more places to play I would be able to play more often since it is a 15 min. drive to play keno. All conv. stores should be able to offer keno. Get with the program and give players what they want before you lose these players.NC Lottery
Hi Greg, thanks for the suggestion! We're always on the lookout for best new Keno locations as we expand the game's reach across the state. The people who work with our retail partners on choosing those new Keno locations read this blog and appreciate getting player feedback.

1/21/2018 12:05 - Brittney R.

Congrats!! One day I will hit too hopefully. Lol

1/21/2018 08:53 - Lavanda H.

The Carolina millions scratch off has gone asleep or something. Can't hardly find a store that sells them because people not buying them because they not winning and if they not winning the stores not going to reorder them per store owner. That's crazy.NC Lottery
Hi Lavanda, The Carolina Millions scratch off still has four top prizes of $1 million out there! If you want to play that scratch off you can always request that your favorite retailer order it.

1/20/2018 07:30 - Richard M.

"Dream a Little" Congrats to the winner. Still losing on the Extreme Millions. I would think that a $30 dollar ticket would produce a winner once in a while. NC Lottery
Hi Richard, we had two $10 million winners in Extreme Millions just back in October. You can check out their stories here, https://www.nclottery.com/NewsBlogDetails/2017/10/4/Video--Marine-Corps-veteran-wins-first-“Extreme”-10-million-prize & https://www.nclottery.com/News/2017/10/6/Reidsville-Air-Force-veteran-wins-10-million-Extreme-Millions-prize There are still two top prizes available for that game as well!

1/20/2018 07:02 - John F.

100 counties,6800 retailers but 80% winners in Raleigh or triad.It’s not random or by largest tickets sold..Stop believing this nonsense!!Don’t believe me look at the winning results

1/20/2018 06:23 - John F.

Congrats Cecil!!But I’m with Alana B..Every time I look on here or look at the second chance winners,it’s always somebody in Raleigh or 100-150 mile radius.Like the commission put majority big prizes in the Raleigh or triad area.Don’t believe me look at all of the $10 million dollar winners or other big prizes.. NC Lottery
Hi John- We don’t know where the winning tickets will be and it is no easier to win the lottery in once place over another. There are just more people taking the chance to win in highly populated areas. We can assure you that if you move near Raleigh it does not become easier to win a lottery prize. The lottery can only work if everyone has the same chance to win, and no matter where you live you have the same chance to beat the odds as anyone else.

1/20/2018 11:52 - michael c.

Hey, some retailers only have the older $10 Jumbo Bucks game. I would hate to buy the older version and not the newer game that came out in Jan 2018. I would not know if the clerk told me was buying the older game version. Can be quite confusion when buying Jumbo Bucks $10 Tickets.NC Lottery
Hi Michael, retailers should have the new game as the older Jumbo Bucks is ending soon and is in the process of being picked up from retail locations. One way to tell them apart is that the newer version has the callout “Over $55 Million in Cash Prizes!” on the front of the ticket.

1/19/2018 10:24 - Larry H.

congrats Cecil! enjoy your new home!

1/19/2018 06:59 - Yolanda C.

Congratulations

1/19/2018 06:18 - Alana B.

There we go...Raleigh out in any direction from 100-150 miles—every single time. Congrats, anyway. Ps. Move to raliegh or within a 100-150 mile radius for your big chance.

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Greenville custodian to get dream home with $400,000 lottery prize

January 19, 2018 Posted by NC Lottery at 2:32 PM